The Holy Father Francis, having to renew the Council of Cardinals upon the expiry of the mandate of the preceding one, has appointed the following Cardinals as members of the new Council:

His Eminence Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Secretary of State;

His Eminence Cardinal Fernando Vérgez Alzaga, L.C., chair of the Pontifical Commission for Vatican City State and president of the Governorate of Vatican City State;

His Eminence Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo Besungu, O.F.M. Cap., archbishop of Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo;

His Eminence Cardinal Oswald Gracias, metropolitan archbishop of Bombay, India;

His Eminence Cardinal Seán Patrick O'Malley, O.F.M.Cap., metropolitan archbishop of Boston, United States of America;

His Eminence Cardinal Juan José Omella Omella, metropolitan archbishop of Barcelona, Spain;

His Eminence Cardinal Gérald C. Lacroix, archbishop of Québéc, Canada;

His Eminence Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich, S.J., archbishop of Luxembourg, Luxembourg;

His Eminence Cardinal Sérgio da Rocha, metropolitan archbishop of São Salvador da Bahia, Brazil.

The secretary will be Bishop Marco Mellino, titular of Cresima, Italy.

The next meeting will be held on 24 April at 9.00 at the Casa Santa Marta.